Riders on
the Storm
When Everyone Else Runs Away, They Run Toward the Danger
Photo Courtesy of Colt Forney
By Christiaan Patterson
T
ornado Alley is one of the most dynamic and captivating areas in the United States when it comes to extreme weather. Every year, an average of 1,000 tornadoes dance through the plains and upper Midwest, giving people a glimpse into one of nature’s greatest mysteries. For the everyday person, this is no more than a spectacle on the horizon or a headline on the nightly news. Yet, for a small group of people, springtime is the most sought-after and exhilarating season on earth. These are storm chasers.
Central Oklahoma is the ideal place to live for these monstrous storms, and Cleveland County is home for many storm chasers who have given up their own hometown to call this place home. Many of these chasers are or have pursued a degree in meteorology at OU. This is often the college of choice due to its ties with the National Weather Center and location on the plains. Though the School of Meteorology does not encourage students to chase, those who attend or graduate often find themselves underneath the blackened sky.
Chasing began as a research project back in the 1980s with Dr. Howard Bluestein’s TOTO (Total Tornado Observatory) design, which was later the foundation of the movie “Twister.” Despite unsuccessful launches of TOTO, the weather community continued to study tornadoes and other severe weather phenomena. In the last decade, the popularity of storm chasing for both pleasure and research has skyrocketed. “The beauty of storms lures me in,” said Brett Wright of Tornado Titans. “There is nothing better.”
APRIL 2013 | MOORE MONTHLY | 7